Carnival Magic Off The Coast Of Belize With At Least One Passenger Who Has Had Contact With Ebola

10/16/2014 11:24PM CDT - At least one passenger from the Carnival Magic, currently offshore of Belize, has reportedly had contact with the Ebola virus. According to a report made by the Belize Ministry Of Health (MOH) tonight, the person did not go ashore today in Belize. The person in question is reportedly a Texas hospital worker who handled a lab specimen from Thomas Eric Duncan, the man who died of Ebola in Dallas.

A local TV station, Channel 7 in Belize, reports having credible information that a "couple" from the cruise ship presently anchored off Belize City, is on a ship tender, unable to return to the cruise ship, while also being refused entry to Belize City to catch an air ambulance awaiting at the International Airport to take them to the the US (see official Belize Press Release letter below). The television station in its broadcast tonight said Belize health authorities so far have refused to deny or confirm the report of denying the individuals access to the country.

The Carnival Magic departed from Galveston Texas on Sunday, October 12 arrived in Mahogany Bay, Honduras on Wednesday October 15 and arrived in Belize this morning, Thursday October 16. The ship was scheduled to leave Belize en route to Cozumel this evening at 5:00pm. As of 9:00pm local time tonight it was still anchored in Belizean waters near State Bank Caye. The ship is reportedly carrying 3652 passengers and a total population of 4633 persons onboard. The Belize Coast Guard has been deployed to prevent anyone from leaving the ship; including the Belizean pilot on board. Belize is a very poor country which survives mainly on tourism. The healthcare infrastructure is very limited. The Belizeâ€™s Ministry of Health just last week stated that in the event of an outbreak of Ebola in Belize, no patient would be allowed into the commercial capital Belize City, where most of the Belize government cabinet officials reside. The MOH stated that the government hospital, the Karl Heuesner Memorial Hospital has only one Intensive Care Unit and they would not allow this to be overrun with Ebola patients.

Update: 10/17/2014 3:00AM CDT - The Texas healthcare worker and a companion are now onboard the Carnival Magic enroute back to Galveston. They have been isolated on the cruise ship despite showing NO symptoms relating directly to Ebola, the US Department of State said on Friday. The Texas healthcare worker had been self monitoring since last Monday and has yet to develop a fever or have any signs of Ebola. The healthcare worker and companion left the country on the cruise prior to the US Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updating its' requirements for active monitoring and travel limitations which now includes them. The healthcare worker may have processed bodily fluids of, the now deceased, Thomas Eric Duncan 19 days ago. The maximum incubation period for Ebola is currently believed to be 21 days.